9/18/09

Sebastian at 11 Weeks and Moving Day

Our last few days on the Monterey Peninsula were so very busy with all of our last minute errands and trying to fit in visits with special people. Being busy was good for me because it gave me less time to think about what was happening. Luckily new adventures also helped curb the sadness and anxiety.

One of those special people was Auntie Megan. We decided to take the babies (inside and out)to some of our favorite places to eat together. I wanted to have a last meal, as it were, at The Brit and some "Sex in a Dish" at The Crown. It was kind of weird hanging out at a pub midday Saturday. We were the only chicks in the place other than the waitress (Betty). Needless to say I didn't nurse in public on this occasion.



Sebastian had a good time staring at everything, most especially Megan's food. He would just stare and drool.



We got to visit with Betty, my favorite waitress ever and say goodbye.



After lunch at The Brit we went to The Crown for dessert and had to introduce Sebastian to the Xlerator. He was not impressed but we had to take a pic for old time's sake.



The next day my mom, Sebastian, and I braved the crowds at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to go to Otter Days. It was going to be Sebastian's first visit to the Aquarium. We didn't stay long because, really, how interested and entertained can a 2 month old be by tanks of fish? He liked the Outer Bay exhibits the best and actually watched the fish and jelly fish for a bit. He got to see the Aquarium's newest Great White Shark (number 7). I was amused by how many people thought the Galapagos sharks were the Great White and would say so to all around them. Never mind that they look totally different from each other.


Sebastian admiring the fish




Monterey Bay Aquarium's Great White


After a while we knew we had hit our limit. There were way too many people around. We stopped into the gift stores to find something for Sebastian to commemorate his visit. He got an otter book, a sea otter plushie, and a shark plushie. I was wavering on which shark to get and was holding this one near him. He reached out and grabbed it so we figured he chose it for himself. His daddy wasn't thrilled with yet another stuffed animal when I told him. Later Sebastian was holding the shark in his stroller and it looked like he was kissing it. In reality I think he was tasting it.



Afterwards Sebastian and I took my mom out for her first Grandparent's day lunch. Her card made her cry.

Eventually moving day arrived. My cousin Kristin came to the airport to say goodbye and as support for my mom afterwards. I had Sebastian dressed in a onesie one of my students made for him. It was a Gerber so although it was the right size month wise, it didn't fit. So he wore it as a tee shirt.



Boarding came all too soon and I was rushed ahead in the security line making our goodbyes quick. It might have been for the best because I was already crying enough. A nice TSA woman gave me a kleenex and another, a guy, helped me through security with all of my crap.

Dealing with my shoes, jacket, moby wrap, diaper bag, car seat, stroller, laptop and bag, not to mention my 2 month old son could have been a nightmare but it went pretty easy. Everybody was so nice and helpful at Air Canada, especially when they realized I was alone.

I was worried that Sebastian would freak out and cry during the flight. Obviously the other passengers were as well. The looks of fear as we walked down the plane aisle were hilarious. It was as if there were at least three dozen brains thinking, "Please don't sit next to me, please don't sit next to me. Oh thank God they passed me."

We got an aisle seat which we requested. They left the seat in the center empty (thank goodness because I ended up needing that space for breastfeeding)and there was a quiet businessman sitting in the window seat. The dude who was sitting across the aisle from me was noticeably bummed that he was going to be sitting across from a baby. "I always sit next to the youngest person on the plane, no fail." I must brag that this was the same guy who loudly declared, "He was the best baby EVAR!" at the end of the flight. That's right, Sebastian made it through the whole flight with nary a peep. Everyone around us was so impressed. I was just grateful.

All in all the flight section of our trip was great. I have nothing but good things to say about Air Canada. The counter folks and flight attendants were so very helpful.



Then we got to customs...yeah different story. On the plane we had to fill out a declaration form. I filled it out as someone who lived in Canada with my Canadian address. This obviously was confusing and not satisfactory to the customs agent who gave me the third degree while staring me and my passport down. He freaked my shite out and grilled me for about 10 minutes. Finally he said I could go through the gates.

And then I was stopped by two other agents/guards/whatever blocking my way. Original agent must have clued them in somehow and I was told I had to go to the immigration office.

Oh My God!

I could have dropped dead of a heart attack right then. I just wheeled Sebastian, in the stroller, down the hall to the office saying, "Mommy screwed up". I totally thought I was going to get deported. Luckily the next agent was super nice. He understood what was going on, approved my paperwork saying I could bring Sebastian in the country, and stamped a visa in my passport. He said he wouldn't stamp the little boy's because he was Canadian. He wished me good luck with my permanent residence paperwork and sent us on our way. One difficulty down, one to go.

Take it from me Toronto aiport sucks beans. I had never seen an airport that did not allow outside people into the baggage area. What the hell? Here I am, all alone with a baby, immigrating with three gigantor suitcases, two carry ons, a stroller, and a car seat. Uhhhh yeah. So I quickly got one of those roller carts (thanking myself for saving some Canadian currancy from our last visit) and after putting Sebastian into the Moby, loaded all of it onto the cart like a giant tower worthy of the Duggars. That Moby saved my life, for serious. I wouldn't have been able to make it without it. Off we went through the sliding doors to see Alex waiting for us and waiting for us to start our new life.

Oh Canada!

9/11/09

Sebastian at Ten Weeks

Another busy week at Gramma's full of activities and goodbyes.

On Labor Day we were extremely lucky to have lunch with Mel, who came up from LA to visit her mom. Sebastian took to her which I expected him to do. Seeing Mel with him was awesome and I was amazed at what a natural she was with him.

Oh yeah, I got a haircut


We had a great lunch at Tillie's for old times sake. I shall miss the Jive Turkey for no matter how he tries, Alex can't get it just right when he makes them at home.

Sebastian had a female admirer at Tillie's in young miss Alexi who was sitting a table away. At three she kept commenting how he couldn't talk yet, but he could wear her dress if he wanted. Uh oh, chicks are already wanting to take off their dresses for him. LOL To be fair it was a very cute dress.

Wednesday my mom took us to lunch at Nepenthe in Big Sur. It was another one of my last things I needed to do before I left. I love their Ambrosia burgers so much so we went to get one. It was basically another photo op with Sebastian and luckily it was a beautiful day. Sad to think that we won't see this view for a year. I think it I took it all for granted for way too long.



*Warning poop mentioned*
This week was the week of the blowout. When a baby goes a whole day without pooping you know there is going to be hell to pay somewhere down the road, and oh yes, did we get it, all up the back and out the legs. Then he decided to pee on my mom before pooping yet again, sans diaper. After I ran around and got all the supplies and new clothes together he decided to pee again, but only hit himself. You just had to laugh at the whole thing. Sebastian laughed, himself. I almost took a picture for posterity and to show Alex but refrained. Man, it was bad. And wouldn't you know, a few hours later in McDonald's it happened again. This time he got himself and me with the blowout. Luckily I caught it before standing up at the register.

Sebastian also has had blowouts of the milk variety a few times causing him to be bathed a lot. He didn't seem to mind that so much.

On Friday, Sebastian and I celebrated an early grandparent's day, taking my mom and grandma to lunch at my grandmother's favorite Mexican restaurant. It's so hard for my Grammy to get around now and I am glad she let us take her out. Sebastian and Grammy happened to match so I got some shots of them and a couple of me and Sebastian. He was all about the duckies that day.



We were about to leave when my mom realized her car wouldn't start. A call was made to AAA and we waited. Have I ever mentioned that Sebastian doesn't wait very well in the car? He hates his car seat anyway and a stopped car with the car seat is a deadly combo. Of course I was sitting nursing when the tow truck rolls up. Long story short, the car had to be towed and my mom and I need to walk ourselves back to her place (same town)with the baby in the stroller. Out of the car comes all of the baby stuff and I notice that, once again, we have a blow out.

Thankfully, we are just outside my grandmother's residence so I trudge upstairs to her room to change the messy little boy, passing through a room of elderly folks celebrating September birthdays. I felt like a heel rushing through as I heard countless squeals of, "Oooh a baaaby!" but I had a diaper disaster to avert. My grandmother explained to me that babies were the best thing for these folks to see. I continued to feel like a heel as I rushed back through the room to meet my mom outside. I did stop a second to make Sebastian wave to the sweet old ladies who again squealed in his presence. Honestly, it made me sad.

Eventually we got home to my mom's, all in one piece and poop free.

More random Sebastian cuteness of the week.


9/3/09

Sebastian at Two Months


My sweet boy is two months already. I can't believe it. It's also hard to believe that our time here in my hometown is almost over and that Alex hasn't seen us for almost two weeks. It seems like Sebastian will be a whole new person by the time his daddy gets to see him again.

This past week has been busy, busy, busy.

Friday we went geocaching. We had all good intentions to try to get at least four caches found but with the heat wave that was hitting the Peninsula hard we only found two. I've realized that geocaching with an infant is hard. You can't get down and scrounge around well with a baby in a Moby. Even though my mom found the first one, she was a good Gramma and let Sebastian pick the swag "he" wanted out of the cache. I picked a cool pathtag that was a rainbow "found it" smilie for his baby book.


Sunday we got to hang with Auntie Megan and her growing inside baby. I just get giddy thinking about her pregnancy and can't wait for the wee (or maybe not so wee) baby to make his or her arrival. I just wish I could be here. Sebastian and I are going to be heartbroken having to leave Auntie. Luckily we get to see her again before we leave.

On Monday we went to the first day of school at JSS. I had told the kids I would so we hauled ourselves to school by 7:45. Sadly, I didn't get to see too many kids because we were surrounded by parents. I was happy to see them as well but it would have been nice to show Sebastian off to more of my former students.

I had a sort of sad realization as we were watching assembly. That it would be the first and last time Sebastian was there for the Pledge of Allegiance. In a couple weeks he'd be saluting (if Canadians do such a thing) a different flag. Now I'm not the most patriotic person anymore, thank you George Bush for squelching that, but it was a sad thought. I said it out-loud to one of the moms I'm friends with and I think I almost made her cry.

Afterwards we drove to Gilroy to hit the outlets. Carter's seemed to be the only store that had stuff I really liked so I stocked up on some things. I've bought so many new clothes for Sebastian this week I had to buy him his own suitcase. How lame considering I had a small one, in Canada.

Tuesday we had Sebastian's first play date with baby Kai and Sierra at my Bradley teacher, Sara's house. She and her husband are some other new folks in our lives we will be sad to leave behind. They are a military family, however and may be moving to DC so there is a chance we'd see them again.
Kai is 6 months old so he, of course, is scootching around and being very active. Sebastian was a typical 2 months lump on a log. We had a nice mommy lunch and then took the three kids on a walk in an area that I had never been to, in my whole 37 years living here. It was kind of sad really that it took me that long to check out that rec trail.

Sebastian and Mama along the rec trail



There isn't a big diffrence in height between the boys but a big difference in head size.



Sebastian and Sara



Check it, this is how you touch your toes





Wednesday we took Sebastian to get his two month portraits at JCPenney's. he was much more alert and happy than last time which was good. Our photographer even remarked as such. She was very good with him. Hopefully we'll find another good studio photographer in Ontario. Luckily we caught some smiles for some good pictures. Oh and mall = more clothes for Sebastian.

He cracked himself up



Thursday was Sebastian's actual "monthday" and we spent that running errands including his two month pediatrician visit with shots :( I was really looking forward to the measuring part of the appointment, not so much the vaccinations.
See, Mama is not happy


Sebastian was not happy being naked and waiting for the doctor. He made up for it by peeing all over the floor.
His two month stats are as follows:

Height: 24.5 inches, 95th percentile.
Weight: 15 lbs 2 oz, >95th percentile
Head circumference: 39.5 cm, 50th percentile
For vaccinations he had a Polio shot, a Hib shot, and a Rotavirus oral dose which he promptly spit out.


We also continued dealing with the old apartment this week. Who knew you could generate so much crap in 7 years? It has been awful trying to get painting and cleaning done with a little boy who would rather be with his mama 24/7. I'm not thrilled that Alex left me with so much garbage to deal with but I keep reminding myself that I'm sure what he is dealing with on the other end isn't fun either.